Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA)

The document describes Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA) as a collaborative process using semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops to identify climate hazards and barriers to adaptation. It highlights the Local Adaptive Capacity (LAC) approach, which assesses resilience across five areas: physical, social, information and knowledge, innovation, and governance. In the Soufriére region of Saint Lucia, the LAC framework found that natural resources provided some resilience, but this was undermined by a 42.9% poverty rate, a 23.8% unemployment rate (2012), and over-reliance on tourism. The text emphasizes that local networks are most effective when they maintain strong links between community, regional, and national organizations to share information and lobby for action.

• Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA) utilize semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops to gather nuanced local information, identifying climate hazards and the specific barriers that prevent communities from adapting to them.
• An application of the LAC framework in the Soufriére region of Saint Lucia revealed that while natural resources offered some resilience, the region's vulnerability was increased by a 42.9% poverty rate (residents living on less than $5/day), a 23.8% unemployment rate in 2012, and a heavy dependence on the tourism industry.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (n.d.). Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA). https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/communities_high_res_print_updated280417.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA). n.d. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/communities_high_res_print_updated280417.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA) |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/communities_high_res_print_updated280417.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetworkndcommunity, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Community Based Vulnerability Assessments (CBVA)}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/communities_high_res_print_updated280417.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }